Heat-treating apparatus



Julie 26, 1928.

C. L. IPSEN HEAT TREATING APPARATUS Filed Pec. 29, 1926 Inventor CCJTL L. Ipsen,

HLs Attorhe y.

Patented I June 26, 19 28. I

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

CARL I. IPS EN, OF SCHENEC'IADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

. HEAT-TREATING APPARATUS.

Application filed December 29, 1926. Serial in. 157,814.

My invention relates to heat treating apparatus and has for its object the provision of simple and reliable means for heat treating small articles.

6 More specifically my invention relates to apparatus for hardening small metallic parts, such as springs, bolts, etc. In carrying out my invention in one form, I provide a furnace having an elongated heating chamher together with a series of receptacles for the parts to be hardened which are inserted in the heating chamber at one end thereof and pushed through the chamber during the heating operation. A discharge opening is 1 provided in the bottom of the heating chamber at the opposite end over which the receptacles are pushed to discharge their contents after traveling throughout the len th of the heating chamber.

F or a more complete understanding of my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation View partially in section of heat treating apparatus embodying my in-' vention; Fig. 2 is a. sectional view along-the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, while Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionalview of the quenching apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown my invention in one form in connection with an elongated horizontal heating chamber 10 defined by heat insulated refractory walls 11 l which are provided-with openings 12 and 13 at opposite ends of the heating chamber and H5 in the side walls thereof. As shown the two openings 12 and 13 are in. the same side wall, and a metallic shelf 14 is provided running along that s'mle of the furnace across the openings 12 and 13. The'shelf 14 is in fact flush with the bottom of the heating chamber and, as shown, is a substantial continuation of a cast metal lining 15 on the bottom of the heating chamber. It will. be understood that metallic parts inthe furnace 5 will be made of a suitable heat resisting material such as a nickel chromium alloy. As shown in Fig. 1 the openings 12 and 13 are provided with suitable doors 16' and 17 which, as shown, may be opened by. raising 0 them vertically. Preferably suitable counter balancing weights (not shown) are used with the doors. They are attached tothe doors in any suitable manner, as by means of chains passing over pulleys 18. The walls 5 11 may be of any suitable construction and inserted i as shown consist of an inner lining 19 of heat refractory heat insulating material with an outer layer 20 of heat insulating material, the whole being enclosed in a 'metallic casing 21.

The articles to be heat treated are placed in suitable receptacles 22 which are moved through the heating chamber from one end to the other during the heating operation. These receptacles are slid into the heating chamberthrough the charging opening 12 and are then pushed forward toward the opposite end by the device 23 which, as shown, is operated by a suitable hydraulic or pneumatic motor 24 controlled by a valve 25. The pusher 23 is actuated to advance each receptacle 22 a distance somewhat greater than the length of the receptacle in the direction of the length of the heating chamber so as to provide space when. the

pusher is retracted for another receptacle to be inserted through the charging opening 12. After inserting a receptacle, the operator causes the pusher 23to advance by means of a valve 25 to advance the receptacle just inserted and also the receptacles previously the heating chamber. As sh wn in Fig.' 1 the receptacles are provided with hinged bottoms 26 so arranged that the receptacle is placed in the heating chamber with the hinged connection for the bottom at the end adjacent the opposite end of-the heating chamber.' A discharge opening 27 is provided in the bottom wall of the furnace adjacent the opening 13. As shown, this opening 27 is located so that the receptacles will be moved over itjust prior to being moved in front of the opening 13. It will be observed that while the receptacles are being pushed through the heating chamber the hinged bottom wallszare maintained in closed positions by resting on the bottom .wall of the heating chamber.

When the receptacle is pushed over the discharge opening,however, the hinged bottom drops down into the discharge opening allowing the contents to drop down through the opening. It will be observed that the hinged bottom in each case is not released until the receptacle has been pushed completely over the opening 27 at which time the bottom disengages the bottom walls of the heating chamber. When the "receptacle advances the next step, upon the insertion of another receptacle through the opening12,

'facilitate this. Upon the arrival of each emptied receptacle behind the opening 13 the door 17 is raised and the receptacle pulled out on the shelf 14 along which it may be pushed to the opposite end of the furnace for rechargingwith articles to be heated. Spacing members 29 and 30 are provided at the ends of the receptacles whereby the receptacles are spaced apart in the heating chamber so that they may be heated to greater advantage.

Any suitable heating means may be used. As shown, the heating chamber is provided with electric heating means consisting of resistors 31 and 32 secured along the sidewalls of the heating chamber and a resistor 33 at the bottom of the heating chamber just below the bottom wall 15.

The heated articles discharged through the opening 27 fall down into a tank 34 containing a suitable quenching liquid 35 such as water or oil. In the tank is a conveyor 36 which carries the quenched articles up ward and out of the tank discharging them on to a chute 37. This conveyor is driven by an electric motor 38.

While I have described my invention as embodied in concrete form and as operating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

What I claim as new and desire to set forth by Letters Patent of the United States walls forming an elongated rectilinear horizontal'heatihg chamber provided with openings at its ends, a plurality of receptacles for the charge arranged to be inserted in one end of said chamber, means for moving said receptacles through said chamber, .said chamber being provided with a discharge opening in its bottom wall adjacent the opposite end of said chamber, and means for dumping the entire contents of each receptacle substantially instantaneously as it is 1. Heat treating apparatus comprising arr/5,271

heating chamber, means for pushing said receptacles through said heating chamber, and means for dumping all of the articles in each receptacle substantially instantaneously when it is pushed over said discharge openmg.

3. A hardening furnace comprising walls forminga heating chamber, a plurality of receptacles arranged to be inserted in one end of said chamber, means for pushing said receptacles through said chamber to the opposite end thereof, said chamber being pro vided with adischarge opening in its bottom wall at said opposite end, and hinged bottoms on said receptacles through which the contents is discharged when they are pushed over said opening.

4. The combination with a furnace proing chamber, a plurality of receptacles for the charge, said walls being provided with openings at opposite ends of said chamber through which said receptacles can be inserted and removedand with a discharge opening in the bottom of said heating chamber adjacent the opening through which said receptacles are removed, hinged bottoms on said receptacles through which the contents is discharged when the receptacles are moved over said discharge opening, and means for moving said receptacles through said chamber.

5. Heat treating apparatus comprising walls forming an elongated heating chamber provided with inlet and outlet openings, receptacles arranged to be inserted in said chamber and moved in end to end relation through said chamber, means for discharging the contents of said receptacles adjacent said outlet opening, and exterior supporting means connecting said inlet and outlet openings on which said receptacles can be returned to said inlet opening.

vided with walls forming an elongated heat- I 6. Heat treating apparatus comprising.

walls forming an elongated heating chamber provided with inlet and outlet openings in one side wall at each end, a plurality of receptacles arranged to be inserted in said inlet opening in end to end relation, means for pushing said receptacles through said heating chamber to said outlet opening, said chamber being provided with a discharge opening in its bottom wall adjacent said outlet opening, means for dumping the contents of said receptacles when they are pushed over said discharge opening, and an exterior shelf connecting said inlet and outlet openings on which said receptacles can be moved back to said inlet opening.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of December, 1926. 

